Aerial Landscapes

My ideas about nature have been strongly influenced by spending time in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Hiking, horseback riding, and sking in the vastness of open land with no visible manmade structures surrounded by 14,000 foot mountains has given me an appreciation for the beauty and power of the natural world. It is common to see deer and other wildlife in these places.

Near my home, the urban environment offers designated open space to preserve trees and small animal life. There are concrete bike paths to access the river, and many people walk, jog, rollerblade, and cycle along these paths. I accept urban parks as a convenient substitute for the more authentic experiences of nature in the "high country" especially since I can still see the tall mountain peaks in the distance.

Reynolds Landing I and II reveals the attempts that have been made to make "nature" available to everyone by creating a park along the riverbank. On the other side of the river is a golf course--another man-made park. These areas allow us to feel that we are in nature, yet the concrete paths and proximity to major streets are indicators of a controlled urban environment.


Viewing these places from the air has increased my awareness of the artificiality of these environments. In Platte River Pathways I have intensified and enhanced the colors to emphasize the unnatural attempts to immitate nature in small areas sandwiched between the streets and the river. At the same time, there is evidence of the river's influence on the urban environment in that the paths, streets, and structures have been built around it.